Your patients are using the web to find medical information
whether you like it or not. It's a trend that's not going
to go away so there's little use bucking it. Though many,
many sites offer reliable and valuable information, others
contain dangerously false and misleading info. Some guidelines
on how patients can best use the web have been put together
by the US National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov).
Encourage your patients to use the web wisely and to share
their findings with you. Here are some of the things they
should keep in mind when surfing for health related information.
You might want to copy it and use it as a patient handout.
SURF
WITH CARE
Who runs the site? It should be clear who the
operator is and who funds the site. Be particularly
wary of sites that have products or services to sell.
What's the purpose of the site?
Check the 'about us' information to ensure that the
site has no secret axe to grind.
Where's the information coming
from? Sites often gather information from a variety
of other places on the web. The source of such material
should be clearly indicated.
Are there references? Don't
accept statements or medical facts and figures that
aren't supported by evidence which has appeared elsewhere,
perhaps in a medical journal. Take care not to confuse
opinions with facts.
Who is responsible for the material?
Writers and researchers who prepare and back the information
on the site should be clearly identified with their
credentials given.
When was the site last updated?
Medicine is a rapidly changing field. Always check to
see when the site was last updated. Updates every two
or three months are insufficient. The best sites are
updated daily.
How are the links to other sites
handled? Some sites don't offer links to other sites
at all. This isn't necessarily a problem, it could just
be that they take a conservative approach to medical
information and want to have direct control over all
information on their site. Other sites set standards
that must be met by those who wish to link with them.
Still others charge those who wish to add links.
What information do you have
to provide for site access? Most sites track where
users go so they can determine the most popular offerings.
In the case of medical sites, though, many require that
you register, 'subscribe' or 'join' the site. This option
is often free but may require that you provide information
about yourself. The rule of thumb is to provide as little
info as you can and that only if you are certain that
the site is on the up and up, and that the information
won't be misused. Commercial sites regularly sell such
information, including e-mail addresses, to other commercial
outfits that may then spam you with product ads. On
the other hand, some reputable medical sites ask for
information about your health in order to compile statistics.
Only respond to these queries if you fully trust the
site's operator and the purpose to which the information
is likely to be put.
Can you contact the site's operator?
You may use the contact information on the site and,
should you have a question, they should respond.
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